Identification card billing method using an identification card

ABSTRACT

Billing method for billing a call by a subscriber identified with a SIM card ( 10 ) in a telecommunications system ( 2 ) to said subscriber, comprising: 
     Determination of the duration of the call by means of a time-measuring device ( 100 ) integrated into the SIM card ( 10 ); 
     Evaluation of the amount to be billed based upon the determined call duration and at least one tariff table stored in the SIM card ( 10 ). 
     The tariff tables are stored in a tariff server ( 6 ), and can be remotely loaded into the SIM card ( 10 ) through said telecommunications network ( 2 ). 
     Advantages: since all data for determining the invoiced amount are available on the SIM card, the billing takes place at the user directly at the source. No other billing system is required in the infrastructure.

This application is the national phase of international applicationPCT/CH97/00472.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a billing method in a telecommunicationssystem. The invention relates more specifically, but not exclusively, toa billing method which can be carried out with an identification card,as well as to an identification card.

In telecommunications networks, for example in telecommunicationsnetworks based on the GSM standard, the amount charged for a calldepends upon various parameters, in particular the time of day, and,among other things, the geographic location of the calling and thecalled subscriber. These parameters, in particular the duration of thecall, are established in the infrastructure of the network, for examplein a central control office. The amount to be charged is then determinedon the basis of these parameters, and is debited against an account ofthe subscriber at the network operator or at a financial institution.This billing method is extremely time-consuming and expensive for thenetwork operator, and requires a complex billing system and many manualor semi-automatic operations.

In addition to this post-paid billing method, prepaid systems are alsoknown. Prepaid systems usually use a subscriber-specific identificationcard, including an account which can be loaded with a monetary amount.The amounts billed for calls of the subscriber are then debited fromthis account after each call. Various methods are known by which moneycan be loaded again onto the account. The parameters needed to determinethe amounts billed are known by the term CAI (Charge AdviceInformation), and are established in a server administered by thenetwork operator, and are transmitted to the identification card of thesubscriber with signalling messages. Processing means in the card thenindicate the amount billed on the display of the mobile device in thelocal currency, and debit this amount from the stored monetary amount.

Described in the patent application WO 95/28062 are a method and a SIMcard for carrying out a prepaid system. According to the disclosedteaching of WO 95/28062, so-called charge advice information(“e”-parameters) according to the GSM standard are transmitted to arespective mobile device, and are further transmitted to the SIM cardwhen a call is established by the mobile device, which card checkswhether the stored prepaid amount is sufficient for the incoming oroutgoing call. If the amount is sufficient, the procedures forestablishing the call are concluded, according to WO 95/28062, and atimer of the SIM card (or of the mobile device) is started to measurethe duration of the call. According to WO 95/28062, the call costs aredetermined from the measured duration of the call as well as based ontariff information, which is stored in the SIM card or which istransmitted to the mobile device via the network by means of furthercharge advice information, and the costs are deducted from the prepaidamount. According to WO 95/28062, special charge advice information canbe transmitted periodically to the mobile device over the network whilethe call is established, which charge advice information is acknowledgedby the SIM card if the prepaid amount still suffices to continue thecall.

Prepaid billing methods are inexpensive for the network operator, whodoes not have to write any invoice. He still has to carry out theevaluation of the amounts to be charged, however. Moreover this methodcan be applied in the GSM sphere only with devices and in geographiclocations where the Advice of Charge (AOC) function, defined in standardETSI ETS300 510 (corresponding to the technical specification GSM02.24), can be applied. Therefore prepaid cards usually allow only verylimited roaming possibilities.

Prepaid methods are also known in connection with intelligent network(IN) solutions. These methods are expensive to use, however, and canonly be applied in the network of the respective operator.

Described in the patent application WO 96/11545 is a smart cardcomprising a clock and a calendar, both of which are connected to amicroprocessor which, for its part, is connected to a memory. Accordingto the teaching disclosed in WO 96/11545, this smart card is inserted ina subscriber unit, and a subscriber identity as well as a period ofvalidity, during which the subscriber unit is to use the subscriberidentity and the smart card can no longer be used, are communicated tothe subscriber unit.

Described in the patent application EP 0 724 371 A is a method by meansof which a wireless communication terminal can select the preferrednetwork from among at least two wireless networks, the least expensivenetwork typically being selected based on network tariff informationwhich is stored in a centralized server environment.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to propose an improvedbilling method, which does not have the drawbacks of the known methods,in particular a billing method simplified for the network operator.

These objects are attained with the method described in the independentclaim, various variants being described in the dependent claims.

Moreover these objects are attained with an identification card asdescribed in the independent identification card claim and with a systemas described in the independent system claim.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The billing method according to the invention is carried out with anidentification card for subscribers in a telecommunications network,which can be inserted in a removable way in a terminal device, and whichcontains at least one tariff table, with which the amounts to be chargedcan be determined on the basis of call duration, as well as anintegrated time-measuring device, with which the duration of the callcan be established, in addition to conventional data processing meansenabling the storing of data including at least identification data,(IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity), MSISDN (Mobile StationIdentity Number) or IDUI (International Debit User Identification)), ofthe user in the telecommunications network.

In this way all the parameters necessary for determination of the amountbilled can be established directly on the card, so that billing can takeplace directly at the source, at the subscriber.

The determined amount can then either be debited directly from a prepaidaccount on the identification card and/or be packed in a billing recordand be transmitted to a debiting server in the telecommunicationsnetwork.

The patent document EP 0 656 733 describes a billing system for mobiledevices, in which calling parameters necessary to determine the amountbilled are stored in the memory of the mobile device. This amount canthen be shown, for information, on the display of the mobile device. Notdescribed in this document, however, is how the determined amount can beautomatically debited. Moreover the duration and time of the call aredetermined with the aid of the internal clock of the mobile device. Thenetwork operator has no influence upon the accuracy of the clock inmobile devices offered by other producers. Furthermore in most mobiledevices this clock can be set by the subscriber. The patent document FR2680261 describes a telephone chipcard, which contains a prepaid accountas well as tariff tables. The amounts billed for calls are charged to aprepaid account on the basis of call length and stored tariffs. The timeand the duration of calls are not established, however, using a clockintegrated into the card, but rather in an external device.

A SIM card with a continuous measuring device is already known fromWO96/11545. This card can only be used for an amount of time loaded in atimer in the card. This document does not describe, however, how theamounts to be billed can be automatically debited to the subscriber.

EP 0 770 953 describes another chipcard with an integrated clock, whichcannot be used, however, for signing electronic documents, and cannot beused for billing of calls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood with the aid of thedescription, given by way of example and illustrated with these figures:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a SIM card according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Designated by the reference numeral 1 is a terminal device, for examplea GSM mobile telephone, or a computer with communications possibilities.The terminal device 1 contains an identification card 10, for example aSIM card 10 (Subscriber Identity Module), which identifies thesubscriber in the telecommunications network 2. SIM cards are alreadybeing used in, among other things, GSM, DCS or PCS mobile devices, orwill be used soon also in fixed networks with subscriber identificationthrough chipcards. The SIM card can be either a full-sized card or aplug-in card; it is connected to the terminal 1 by means of a contactarea on the surface of the card. Other card formats and contactlesscards, however, can also be used within the framework of this invention.The SIM card 10 contains data processing means, for example a knownGSM-SIM microcontroller. SIM cards are described, for example, in thetechnical specification GSM 11.11 and GSM 11.14, available from theSecretariat of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute,F-06921 Sophia Antipolis, France, since 1995, or respectively 1996.Other identification cards, for example multipurpose cards known underthe designation Opencard, can also be used in this invention.

The SIM card contains moreover known means to transmit and receive SMSshort messages, and preferably known filter means to recognize andinterim store special short messages, preferably according to the SICAPmethod, which is described in the patent EP 0 689 368 B1, among othersources. The SIM card can preferably also communicate with other devicesin the network 2 through unstructured special services data (USSD) inthe signalling data link. Encryption and signing means are preferablyavailable moreover in order to decrypt received files and to encrypt andsign transmitted files. The TTP (Trusted Third Party) method can be usedas the encryption method, for example, or also encryption means workingaccording to a point-to-point (PTP) method.

According to the invention, the SIM card further comprises an integratedtime-measuring device 100, with which the duration of the calls can bedetermined. The time-measuring device can contain hardware and/orsoftware means. In a preferred variant, however, the time-measuringdevice comprises an electronic oscillator of any type, for example aquartz oscillator. When the terminal device is switched off, theoscillator 100 is preferably supplied by an energy store (accumulatorbattery or capacitor), contained in the card 10.

The SIM card 1 is connected to a telecommunications network 2, forexample a GSM network, when it is inserted into the terminal device 1. ASIM server 3 is likewise connected to the network 2, and can communicatethrough special SMS messages and/or through USSD over the network 2.Known filter means in the server 3 and in the SIM cards 10 allow specialservices to be carried out, such as the exchange of data, instructionsand programs between the SIM server and a SIM card. The SIM server 3 ispreferably connected moreover to a TTP server 7, in order to encrypt andsign the communications with the SIM cards 10. It is thereby ensuredthat the confidentiality, authenticity of identity, authenticity ofinformation, integrity and indisputableness of origin of the variousmessages are ensured. A point-to-point encryption and signing methodcan, however, also be used.

The SIM server 3 is likewise connected to a time controller 5, whichsets and controls the time-measuring device integrated into the SIM card10, as will be described further below. A tariff server 6 sets andcontrols the tariff table integrated into the SIM card. A billingcollector 4 collects the billing records generated in the SIM cards 10,sorts them according to financial services provider, and transmits themto the respective financial services providers, as will be describedfurther below.

The communication between the various servers 3 to 7 and the SIM cards10 takes place, as already mentioned, through the telecommunicationsnetwork 2, in this example a GSM network. The roaming possibilitiesestablished in the GSM system then permit the billing method accordingto the invention to be used in all networks which have a roamingagreement with the home network. This method can then be used in all theGSM900, GSM1800, and also DCS1900 single networks connected by roamingagreement, as explained later. The invention can also be used, however,with non-GSM networks.

The roaming methods are described, for example, by I. Brini et al. In“International Roaming in Digital Cellular Networks,” CSELT TechnicalReports, Volume XX, No. 6, Italy, December 1992, pages 531-536, or bythe same authors in “European Roaming-related Technical Problems,” CSELTTechnical Reports, Volume XX, No. 3, Italy, June 1992, pages 209-215.

FIG. 2 shows schematically the architecture of the identification card10.

The card is preferably supplied by an accumulator battery 11, as alreadymentioned. A microcontroller with data processing means carries out thevarious processes in the card. A memory, preferably an EEPROM, iscontained in the microcontroller or is connected to it. The memorycontains programs and files which are preferably organized in ahierarchical directory. Files and resources in this memory can begrouped into three areas 12, 13, 14. The first area 12 is a to protectedarea, and contains data and components which the subscriber cannotchange. In addition to the conventional GSM data and programs, TTP dataand programs, as well as at least one private and/or at least one publickey are contained in this group. Also contained in this area, accordingto the invention, are registers and programs to control the integratedtime-measuring device as well as is tariff tables, tariff calculationprograms and record generation programs.

In this first area 12, data and programs can only be loaded, orrespectively changed, by means of a cryptographic process. Using thisprocess Java programs can also be transferred into the area 12 of thecard.

The second area 13 is not protected, the subscriber can access all dataand programs in this area. Besides a telephone book, containing all thetelephone numbers frequently called by the subscriber, this area alsocontains various user programs and data, for example Java programs whichcan be remotely loaded.

The third, optional area 14 contains data and programs responsible forthe direct, contact less connection of the SIM card 10 to externaldevices. This contactless connection can take place, for example,inductively through a coil integrated into t he card or into the mobiledevice, or by means of an infrared interface in the housing of themobile device 1.

The additional identification parameters stored in one of the areas12,13, 14 enable the SIM card 1 to also be used as an identificationcard for another system, for example as an identification card inanother telecommunications network 16, for an external device 17, in anetwork computing device NC 18, in a mobile Network Computing device MNC19, or with all other conceivable devices, where subscriberidentification using a chipcard is applicable. These various othersystems can access the needed identification parameters in the areas 12,13, 14 with a virtual SIM bus 15. The access can be achieved eitherthrough an interface with contacts, for example through the contactsurface on the surface of the card, or in a contactless way through oneof the above-mentioned infrared or inductive interfaces.

We shall now describe more closely the billing method used with thisidentification card.

When the SIM card 10 is inserted into the mobile device 1, the programfirst checks in the protected area 12 of the card whether thetime-measuring device 100 is set. If that is not the case, the card 10sends a time query message to the time controller 5, which is answeredby means of a time record. The time record comprises a time indication,and is preferably transmitted by the SIM server 3 in the userinformation channel so that the transmission time is kept as short aspossible. In a variant, the time record is transmitted as a USSD messagethough the signalling layers of the communications protocol. Because thetransmission time of SMS messages cannot be foreseen, time records arepreferably not transmitted through this channel, however.

Transmission time compensations can be determined from statisticalevaluations and can be used. The time record is preferably signed by theTTP server 7, so that a forger cannot transmit any falsified timerecords to manipulate the time set. The SIM card 10 receives the signedrecord, checks the signature, and if this is correct, sets thetime-measuring device with the transmitted and compensated time.

Preferably other mechanism are further provided to correct the set timein the SIM card 10. For example, the time controller 5 can periodicallycheck the set time, and, if necessary, generate a time record of thecorrection. Since, as is explained later, the SIM card 10 generatesbilling records and/or CDRs (Call Detail Records), which always includea time indication, the transmitted time can be checked, in a variant, sothat the time-measuring device 100 can be reset if a time deviation isestablished statistically. In any case it is important that thetime-measuring device 100 is continually set at the correct time in therelevant time zone. For this purpose, it can be provided for that thetime-measuring device is set each time the SIM card 10 is logged into anew telecommunications network. In a variant, the time controller 5transmits a time record to the SIM card 10 each time the mobile device 1is switched on. In another variant, the mobile device determines itscurrent geographic position after each logging in, and carries out thetime zone correction itself with the aid of a time zone table stored inthe card.

Parallel to this process, a check is also made, upon logging in of themobile device, as to whether the tariff table stored in area 12 is up todate and complete. To this end, upon logging into the home network orinto a visited network, a record is transmitted to the tariff server 6in the home network where the current version of the tariff table isstored. If the tariff table in the SIM card 10 is no longer up to date,or if it has to be supplemented, a tariff record is generated by thetariff server 6, is encrypted and signed by the TTP server 7, and istransmitted through the SIM server 3 and the communications network 2 tothe SIM card 10. The SIM card 10 then checks the signature of thereceived tariff record, and, if the signature is correct, the storedtariff table is supplemented or adjusted.

This tariff transmission procedure can also be used each time thenetwork operator adjusts the tariffs and changes his tariff tables inthe tariff server 6. In this case, the tariff server can automaticallytransmit the new tariffs to all its subscribers (initializing andupdating of the tariff tables).

Since the memory capacity of the SIM card 10 is not unlimited,preferably no complete tariff list is stored, but instead only thetariffs for telecommunications areas in which the subscriber frequentlyphones, based on statistics, and, optionally, tariffs for somepre-defined telecommunications areas. For example, stored in a newidentification card are only the tariffs for calls within the homenetwork, or only tariffs for calls between the home network and someneighboring networks. If the subscriber then logs into another networkwith his mobile device, then tariff tables for calls out of, and into,this new network are additionally stored in this identification card 10,according to the mechanism described above.

User-specific discount parameters can be associated with the storedtables so that a user can profit individually from correspondingdiscounts according to his use behavior. Discounts can be set up asdesired according to various criteria. For example, a network operatorcan program discount parameters in SIM cards of employees in largeenterprises or can also load them later.

The tariff table version, which can be used as a subsequent statisticalcontrol, is preferably transmitted in the billing records, describedfurther below. For the case where it is established later that theversion used for billing was not the correct version, the current tableof tariffs is conveyed to the SIM card 10, and a correction is madeaccording to the mechanism described above.

We shall now describe how the billing is carried out for a call.

In establishing a connection, the call number is analyzed by a suitableprogram in the protected area 12 of the identification card 10. If thenecessary tariff figures for the targeted region are to be found in thetariff table on the card 10, the connection is actually completed. Ifthe needed table elements are not available on the card, establishmentof the call is preferably blocked and an updating record is sent to thetariff server in order to load these data.

The parameters needed to analyze the amount to be billed are collectedafter signalling of the call set up. The amount to be billed depends,among other things for example, on the duration of the call, the time ofday, the day of the week, the location of the calling subscriber (A) andof the called subscriber, the tariff tables, and, if applicable, anypossible user-specific discounts. All these parameters are eitheravailable in the protected area 12 of the identification card, or can bedetermined using the integrated time-measuring device 100. Determinationof the amount to be billed can thus take place after completion of thecall, as a function of the duration of said call established by thetime-measuring device, using a suitable program in the protected memoryarea 12. This amount is then preferably shown on the display of themobile device 1, and is packed into a billing record, provided with aTTP signature, and is conveyed through the telecommunications network 2to the billing collector 4. In a variant, instead of the establishedamount on the card, the parameters needed for its calculation such asduration of the call, time, etc., are conveyed to the billing collector.

If the connection is interrupted in such a way that the billing recordcannot be conveyed, it is stored in the protected area 12 of the SIMcard, and is sent to the billing collector 4 the next time the card 10is used. New connections are blocked until the last signed billingrecord has been correctly transmitted to the billing collector.

Optionally, the billing records are stored in a stack in the protectedarea 12 of the card. Several billing records are then sent to thebilling collector 4 at the same time, or are called up by the billingcollector as needed.

If the SIM card 10 is a prepaid card, and contains a stored monetaryamount, the billed amount is preferably charged directly to thisaccount. Prepaid cards are described in the patent applicationEP96810570.0, among other sources. In this case billing records in thebilling collector 4 are used only for checking and for statistics.

If the card is not a prepaid card, the billing records are sorted in thebilling collector 4 according to financial services provider, and areconveyed to the respective financial services provider. This financialservices provider sends the subscriber a bill or debits his account.Possible financial services providers are, for example, the networkoperators themselves, or also a bank, a credit card company or othercollection points. Since the billing records already represent a billingsection, the network operator no longer needs to administer any billingsystem of his own.

Since all the elements for a statement of charges are available in thebilling record, they can be made available to the subscriber, forexample, via Internet or by post. Billing records are TTP-encrypted andsigned, as already mentioned. It is thus ensured that only the entitledsubscriber can access his statement of charges.

One skilled in the art will note that prepaid and post-paid billingsystems according to the invention can be used in parallel in the sametelecommunications system.

Parallel to the billing records generated on the SIM cards, conventionalCDRs (Call Detail Records) are preferably generated in theinfrastructure of the GSM network which are used for checking thebilling records and for further statistics.

This method can be used not only to bill calls of the user of the SIMcard., but also to bill use of other resources on the card 10. Inprinciple, using this method, all operations can be billed for which allthe billing parameters are available on the SIM card 10. For example,use of the programs stored in the memory area of the card or use of theinductive or infrared interface can also be billed, for example as afunction of the duration of use.

This billing method can be used in any network which is connected to thehome network of the subscriber through a roaming agreement. The area ofapplication, therefore, is not limited to a home GSM network; use ispossible globally in all telecommunications networks, independently ofthe network structure. The method can also be used with communicationssystems other than the GSM system.

This billing method can be used by several network operators. In thiscase each network operator preferably has his own tariff server 6. Thevarious tariff servers are preferably connected to one another, however,so that tariff adjustments need only to be carried out onceinternationally. In a variant, all tariff tables are stored in a mastertariff server to which all network-specific tariff servers are able tohave access in order to determine their tariffs. In a further variant,all network operators access the same tariff server 6, administered byall. The administration of the network-specific tariffs in the tariffserver can be carried out by the individual network operators through acryptographically-protected process.

These processes can be protected and used confidentially only if anencrypted and protected data transmission channel exists between the SIMcard and the SIM server. This encryption can be achieved with TTPfunctions or also using point-to-point algorithms, as already mentioned.

What is claimed is:
 1. Billing method for billing a call by a subscriberidentified with an identification card (10) in a telecommunicationsnetwork (2) to this subscriber, comprising: determination of theduration of the call, the duration of the call being measured by atime-measuring device (100) integrated into the identification card(10), determination of the amount to be billed based upon the determinedcall duration and at least one tariff table stored in the identificationcard (10), wherein a time controller (5) checks the time set in theidentification card (10), and, if the time is not set correctly,transmits a time record to this identification card, and the amounts tobe billed depend upon the time of day determined by said time-measuringdevice (100).
 2. Billing method according to claim 1, wherein the tarifftables are stored in a tariff server (6), and can be remotely loadedinto the identification card (10) and/or changed through saidtelecommunications network (2).
 3. Billing method according to claim 2,wherein the tariff tables can be communicated from said tariff server(6) by means of special SMS short messages.
 4. Billing method accordingto claim 3, wherein the tariff tables can be communicated from saidtariff server (6) by means of USSD data.
 5. Billing method according toclaim 2, wherein after an identification card (10) has been logged intoa telecommunications network (2) the tariff server (6) checks theversion of the tariff table stored in this identification card (10),and, if necessary, loads the most recent version onto thisidentification card.
 6. Billing method according to claim 1, wherein,after each logging in of an identification card (10), the timecontroller (5) checks the time set, and, if the time is not setcorrectly, transmits a time record to this identification card. 7.Billing method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted timerecords are electronically signed.
 8. Billing method according to claim1, wherein stored in the identification card (10) of the subscriber areonly the tariffs for areas of the telecommunications network in which hehas already called and optionally tariffs for some pre-defined areas ofthe telecommunications network.
 9. Billing method according to claim 2,wherein the transmission of tariff tables (10) between said tariffserver (6) and the identification card (10) is encrypted.
 10. Billingmethod according to claim 2, wherein the transmission of tariff tables(10) between said tariff server (6) and the identification card (10) issigned.
 11. Billing method according to claim 1, wherein the amounts tobe billed depend upon the location of the calling subscriber. 12.Billing method according to claim 1, wherein the amounts to be billeddepend upon the location of the subscriber being called.
 13. Billingmethod according to claim 1, wherein the amounts to be billed dependupon possible discounts.
 14. Billing method according to claim 1,wherein said time-measuring device (100) comprises an oscillatorintegrated into the identification card (10).
 15. Billing methodaccording to claim 14, wherein said oscillator is a quartz oscillator.16. Billing method according to claim 1, wherein the determined amountsare debited directly against a prepaid account in the identificationcard (10).
 17. Billing method according to claim 1, wherein parametersupon which the billed amounts depend, are packed in billing records andare delivered to a billing server in said telecommunications network(2).
 18. Billing method according to claim 17, wherein the billingrecords are electronically signed.
 19. Billing method according to claim18, wherein the billing records transmitted to the billing server aresorted and are transmitted to a corresponding financial servicesprovider.
 20. Billing method according to claims 17, wherein call detailrecords (CDRs) are generated in the telecommunications network (2),parallel to the billing records, as a check.
 21. Billing methodaccording to claims 1, wherein the use of resources not responsible forthe traffic/communication processing are also billed in theidentification card (10) on the basis of the stored tariff tables andsaid time-measuring device.
 22. Identification card (10) for subscribersin a telecommunications network, which can be inserted in a terminal (1)in a removable way, containing: data processing means, which makepossible the storage of data containing at least identification data ofthe subscriber in the telecommunications network (2), at least onetariff table, the amounts to be billed being determined on the basis ofthe determined call duration and this tariff table, an integrated timemeasuring device (100), with which the duration of the calls isdetermined, wherein the identification card (10) comprises means toreceive time records, comprising time indications, transmitted to theidentification card (10) by a time controller (5), and to set the timemeasuring device (100) with the transmitted time, and registers andprograms for control of the time-measuring device (100) are stored in anarea (12) of the identification card (10) not accessible to thesubscriber.
 23. Identification card (10) according to claim 22, whereinat least one tariff table is stored in the EEPROM of the identificationcard (10), and can be remotely loaded from a tariff server (6) in thetelecommunications network (2) and/or changed.
 24. Identification card(10) according to claim 23, wherein it can recognize and load tarifftables in special SMS short messages.
 25. Identification card (10)according to claim 23, wherein it can recognize and load tariff tablesin USSD data.
 26. Identification card according to claim 22, whereinstored are only the tariffs for areas of the telecommunications networkin which the subscriber has already called and optionally tariffs forsome predefined areas of the telecommunications network. 27.Identification card according to claim 22, wherein it further containsTTP-decryption means in order to decrypt received tariff tables. 28.Identification card according to claim 22, wherein said time-measuringdevice (100) comprises an oscillator integrated into the identificationcard (10).
 29. Identification card (10) according to claim 28, whereinsaid oscillator is a quartz oscillator.
 30. Identification cardaccording to claim 22, wherein it contains a prepaid account, againstwhich the billed amounts are debited directly.
 31. Identification cardaccording to claim 22, wherein it contains means to pack the amounts tobe billed in billing records and to send them to a billing collector (4)in said telecommunications network (2).
 32. Identification cardaccording to claim 22, wherein call detail records (CDRs) are generatedas a check, parallel to the billing records, in the telecommunicationsnetwork (2), capable of roaming.
 33. Identification card according toclaim 22, wherein it contains means to bill in the identification card,on the basis of said tariff tables and said time-measuring device (100),also the use of resources not responsible for traffic/communicationprocessing.
 34. Identification card according to claim 22, wherein itfurther comprises an energy store (11) which supplies the time-measuringdevice (100).
 35. Telecommunications system in which the subscribers areidentified with an identification card (10), with a multiplicity ofterminal devices (1) in which identification cards (10) can be removablyinserted, at least certain identification cards (10) having at least onetariff table, whereby at least certain identification cards (10) furthercontain an integrated time-measuring device (100), with which theduration of calls is determined, and whereby the billed amounts aredetermined for at least certain calls of these subscribers on the basisof said determined duration and said tariff tables, wherein it furthercontains a time controller (5) with which the time can be set in thetime-measuring devices (100) integrated into the identification cards(10), the time determined in the time controller (5) being communicatedto the identification cards (10) with time records. 36.Telecommunications system according to claim 35, wherein it furthercomprises a tariff server (6) in which the tariff tables are stored, aswell as an SIM server (3), with which the tariff tables can be remotelyloaded into the identification cards (10) through saidtelecommunications network (2).
 37. Telecommunications system accordingto claims 35, wherein it further contains a TTP server (7) with whichdata transfers with the identification cards (10) can be signed andencrypted.
 38. Telecommunications system according to claim 35, whereinit further contains a billing collector (4) which collects the billingrecords generated by the various identification cards (10). 39.Telecommunications system according to claim 38, wherein the saidbilling collector (4) sorts the received billing records according tofinancial services provider and transmits them to the correspondingfinancial services provider.